Hey, you up? It’s your pals at Crooked Media. We launched this company because we were angry, worried, and hopeful for our country, and wanted a place to talk about politics that can inform, entertain, and inspire action.

Pod Save America, our first show, is where we try to talk about politics the way actual human beings talk, without the bullshit and self-seriousness that make television punditry wonderful. Sure, we may be liberal, and we’re not always right, but we try our best to be open, honest, and help people understand what matters and what they can do to get involved.

In the eight months since we launched Pod Save America, the show has been downloaded more than 100 million times. We interviewed President Obama. We stumbled upon Hillary Clinton in the woods. We created so much content. And we’ve fought alongside activists and engaged citizens who refuse to accept this present as our future.

But to truly tackle this challenge, this company needs to be bigger than just us. It needs to include new voices from a wide variety of backgrounds and beliefs – people like Ana Marie Cox and DeRay Mckesson, who’ve already launched podcasts with Crooked Media that offer perspectives and life experiences from beyond Washington

That is why today we’re excited to tell you that the Crooked Empire is growing.

First, we’re announcing the Crooked Contributors network. These are brilliant, funny people who will help listeners, viewers, and readers better understand the world we live in and how each of us can shape it. You’ll hear our contributors regularly on Crooked Media podcasts, you’ll see them in videos, and you’ll read their writing on Crooked.com.

Ben Rhodes, former Deputy National Security Advisor to President Obama

Erin Ryan, senior editor at the Daily Beast

Symone Sanders, strategist for the Democratic Party

Sam Sinyangwe, policy analyst and data scientist

Clint Smith III, writer and educator

Second, we’re announcing a new podcast called Crooked Conversations, which will join a growing roster of shows that includes Pod Save the World, With Friends Like These, Pod Save the People, and Lovett or Leave It. Crooked Conversations is a place to discuss important and fascinating topics that don’t always make headlines, like the influence of money in elections, the role of sexism in politics, the future of jobs and automation, the changing way people get their news, and people who look at their phones during a movie. These conversations will be led by the Crooked Media team, our network of contributors, and anyone else who wants to come hang out with us in West Hollywood.

Third, we’re launching Crooked.com, a new website that will include written content. We want Crooked.com to be an arena for an honest and productive debate about American liberalism and how the Democratic Party should represent it. It will be helmed by Brian Beutler, who is joining the Crooked Media team as the Editor-in-Chief of Crooked.com. Brian cut his teeth at the news site TPM, and comes to Crooked Media from The New Republic, where he was senior editor, wrote a daily column and hosted the podcast Primary Concerns. A product of the crooked media, he is ready to join a company that won’t hide just how Crooked it aspires to be. Brian went to Berkeley. Of course.

There’s much more to come, including new shows, additional contributors and more. But we wouldn’t have made it to this point without an incredible team. Together, we’ve built Crooked Media from an idea hatched in the fury and grief of election night into a growing progressive media company that reaches millions of people every week. So to paraphrase a politician paraphrasing Jay-Z to authentically connect with millennials, allow Crooked Media to reintroduce itself. Here’s our team:

Corinne Gilliard, Talent and Development Producer

Elijah Cone, Digital Manager

Elisa Gutierrez, Operations and Production Assistant

Mukta Mohan, Producer

Sarah Wick, Chief Operations Officer

Tanya Somanader, Chief Content Officer

That’s us and that’s it. We’re proud of what we’ve built so far and excited for what’s next. Truth is, none of us expected to be doing this. Crooked wasn’t born of some master plan or a slick PowerPoint presentation with a battle-tested business model. We bet there were people like us who were frustrated and looking for something more. That people have responded has meant the world to us. And we couldn’t get through this roiling clusterfuck of a presidency without all of you.